


to hell and back

by Anonymous



Series: Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby [9]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Demons, Angst with a Happy Ending, Death, Demons, Dreams, M/M, Some graphic descriptions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 06:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21132059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: What do you do when you fall in love with someone who shouldn't know love?





	to hell and back

**Author's Note:**

> For days 16 & 17 of #00fftober. I honestly don't know how this happened, but it did, and now it's here. I'm also shocked that I wrote this much for a drabble, but I really lost myself when I wrote this and that's how it came about, I guess.

He was standing in the middle of a darkened room, the only source of light came from the dim glow of the street lights outside and the full moon, that hung like an ominous ball of light right outside the windows. The room was familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place it. Not yet anyway. But there was something about it that made his skin prickle, something so familiar about the way the moonlight fell over the double bed, right across the pillow on the left side. A faint memory stirred in his mind, of moonlight across his face, of burrowing into sheets that smelled vaguely of strawberries and vanilla and the faint laughter of someone as they tucked him closer into their side. 

Something burned in his chest at the memory, already fading into the darker recesses of his mind, and it brought him back to the present. It was only then that he realized that he wasn’t alone in the room, that there was a figure seated in the darkness on the shadowed side of the bed, untouched by the moonlight. That burning feeling in his chest returned and he wanted to call out. What he wanted to call out he wasn’t sure really, but it didn’t matter. His mouth was no longer working, and neither was his body it seemed, he could only stare transfixed at the figure as it studied an object it held in its hand. 

The figure moved, and for that split second he could just make out half of its face as it was illuminated by the moonlight, and whatever breath he had lodged itself in his throat. He knew that face, knew it like the back of his hand, his name was on the tip of his tongue, so strong he could almost taste it and yet his mind didn’t know it. He wanted to cry at how much his chest had constricted and yet no sound escaped, voice trapped along with the breath in his throat. The urge to speak, to call out, to get his attention, only worsened when the shifting moonlight illuminated the object in his hands. 

The odd misshapen lump finally took form in the dim light of the moon, shadows clearing to reveal a small furred object that could have been a ball if the stubby digits connected to it didn’t give it a whole new meaning. _ No! _ He wanted to shout out, wanted to run up and grab the offending object and fling it out the window. But he could only watch, helpless, as the figure cradled it to his chest and closed his eyes, almost as if in prayer. He spoke then, the words carried to him as though they had to fight their way through sheets of water before making it to his ears. They came out delayed and distorted, the sound not truly matching the movement of the figure’s lips, and just a touch deeper than he knew the voice should have been. 

_ I want to see him again, bring him to me or bring me to him, I don’t care. Just let me see my Joshua again. _

When his name fell from the figure’s lips, it was as if the blindfold that had been wrapped around his mind’s eye had snapped and suddenly he was drowning in sights, scents, and sounds. In memories. Suddenly he knew the figure’s name, suddenly his voice was back and his body was responding to him again. 

_ Jeonghan! _ He shouted, or he tried to, voice sounding garbled and distorted to his ears, and when he tried to move it was as if he was wading through mud. Aeons later, when he finally reached the figure, who hadn’t moved since he’d spoken, he could see the tracks tears had made in his face, how they dampened the fur of the monkey’s paw he was still holding in his hands. 

_ No, no, no! Why would you do this? I warned you. I told you not to. _Tears were streaming down his own face now but the other boy still did not move, it was as if he hadn’t spoken, as if he wasn’t there. When he reached for the figure and his arms went right through him did he finally realise, Jeonghan couldn’t see him or hear him, was still alone in the room they had shared what seemed like a lifetime ago. His own sobs, distorted to his ears still, wracked him and he collapsed onto the ground in front of the boy he wanted so desperately to hold but no longer could.

Then the vision distorted, and he was pulled backwards, almost as if a string was connected to his navel through his back, and suddenly he was standing in the middle of a street, lit only by a single street lamp because the other one had been torn almost completely in half. The top of it lay, wrecked, on top of a car that had wrapped itself around its lower half. Shattered glass littered the road, reflecting the light and making the road look like a poor reflection of the night sky. 

The vision brought him closer, the pressure behind his navel jerking him forward until he was standing beside the shattered window on the driver’s side. If he still had blood it would have run cold at the sight, as it was, all he could feel was a gaping hole in his chest, as though someone had dug out his heart and ripped it to shreds. He wanted to look away from the figure slumped across the steering wheel, from the eyes that had long since glassed over, the life behind them gone, but the vision held him cruelly in place. He couldn’t move but he could cry, and his tears ran free, ran easily down his face. 

_ You idiot, _ he cried out in between heaving mouthfuls of sobs. _ You idiot _. Anger clawed at the empty hole in his chest, and he didn’t know if he wanted to scream or cry, or hit someone, but there was nothing he could do. The vision held him there, in the middle of a half-darkened street, in front of the broken body of the love of his life. The only person in his eternal existence that he’d ever truly loved. The vision would have kept him there forever, he knew, if a voice hadn’t broken through the haze of his dreams and brought him back to his physical body. 

* * *

“Josh. Oh sorry, Sir. I meant to say ‘Sir’.” The voice broke off, muttering to itself before it continued, the hand connected to it shaking him awake. “Please, wake up! His Excellency is asking for your attendance.” 

Joshua opened his eyes only to be met with jet-black ones staring down at him. He groaned, his head was pounding and his heart ached, but he pushed himself up off his bed anyway. He did a sweep of his surroundings, the ever-persistent red glow, a contrast from the hazy blues of the vision, stinging his eyes, before dismissing his hand-demon with a wave. 

“Thanks, Gyu, I’ve got it from here. And please, just call me Josh when we’re in private, I really don’t mind.” He watched as the other demon smiled small and nodded, tail swishing happily, before leaving him to ready himself. 

Joshua grabbed the suit that was still lying across the back of his desk chair and shoved himself into it, waving a hand lazily to get his hair settled into place. Emotions from the vision threatened to overwhelm him as he stared at his reflection, the firelight reflecting in his mirror reminiscent of lamplight against broken glass, but he schooled himself. Now wasn’t the time, if he was being summoned by the King then it had to be something important. He gave his wings a good stretch, smoothed out the last few creases in his suit and, when he was finally ready, snapped his fingers once. 

Immediately, he was transported into the throne room of the main palace. The black marble of the floor reflecting the red flames that decorated the pillars lining the entire length of the throne roof. The set of three thrones sat raised on a marble dais at one end of the hall, red flames licking its edges and the steps that led up to them. A figure sat in the largest throne, the middle one, shrouded completely in what looked like smoke, or shadows, with only glowing embers where eyes should be. A crown sat on its head, nestled between two long, curving horns, with a small flame set in the middle. The figure cut an imposing, if not purely terrifying, image against the backdrop of marble and flame.

Joshua was used to him though, had served for long enough to barely be bothered when it turned its gaze toward him. What bothered him was the kneeling figure that trembled at the foot of the steps. He could barely make out any features, the flickering flames doing nothing to illuminate them, but he had a sinking feeling he knew all too well who it would be. He walked with measured steps toward the dais, coming to a stop just beside the figure, and bowed his greeting not daring to spare a glance at the still-trembling figure. 

“My lord.” 

The King waved away his greeting, “Please, Joshua. Spare me the pleasantries. We have a minor… issue… as you can see.”

“An issue, sire?” Joshua asked, trying with great difficulty to hide the tremor in his voice. 

The King turned all his attention to Joshua then, a smile of flames etched on his non-face. “Yes. An issue, Archdemon Joshua. A very _ human _ issue. Look at him.” He spat out the last few words, flames licking angrily from his mouth. “He asked for _ you _. Specifically. Now, why would he know to ask for you? And not even here, mind you, he turned down his chance at the pearly gates to be sent down here.”

Joshua flinched at the bite in the King’s words, his head turning slowly towards the figure at his feet. Recognition flooded through him the minute his eyes alighted on the trembling figure, followed by fear and then a strange sort of relief. He collapsed to his knees beside the figure, all regard for the King and the law was thrown out the metaphorical window the minute he’d seen the fear in those eyes. He would deal with the punishment later. 

Reaching out gingerly, as if he was afraid that he’d go right through him again, he placed a gentle hand on the figure’s cheek, tilting it slowly until he was looking at him. 

“Hannie?” He breathed, disbelief still colouring his voice. 

There was a moment of silence where the boy just looked at him and then he was throwing himself at him, arms circling his neck as he buried himself in the crook of his shoulder. Joshua wrapped an arm around the boy’s waist and pulled him closer, taking a deep breath of that familiar strawberry scent that the fires of Hell could not have dulled even if they tried. 

“It’s really you, right?” A small voice mumbled against his shoulder. “Josh, tell me it’s you.”

Joshua tightened his arms around him even more, wings unconsciously unfurled to shield them as he answered, whispering softly, as he nuzzled into the other boy’s hair. “It’s me, Hannie. It’s me.” 

“Oh, thank G-,” the boy’s voice choked off before he could finish, and Joshua chuckled slightly at the astonished look on his face. 

“We’re in Hell, Jeonghan. You can’t say that here.”

“Ohhh. Right. Well, that makes sense, I guess.” 

“Speaking of hell,” another voice cut in, deeper and crackling with malice. “Don’t you have a job to do, _ Archdemon _.”

Joshua froze at the sudden interruption, having truly forgotten the King’s presence in the moment of their reunion. He glanced up at the threatening figure that was still sat on the throne, the weight of his title looming over them. That’s right, he was an Archdemon, one of Hell’s only two, and it was his job to ferry the new souls into the depths of Hell, where they were left to suffer for the rest of eternity. And now, Jeonghan was a new soul. 

The King chuckled as the realisation dawned on Joshua, fiery maw gleaming. “Send him on his way, Joshua.”

Panic flooded through him as he looked backed down at Jeonghan, who had finally stopped trembling and was clutching at him so hard the whiteness of his knuckles were stark against the dim redness of the throne room. 

No, he couldn’t do it, he wouldn’t. There was no way he was going to send Jeonghan to spend the rest of eternity in the depths of the underworld but there was no way he could say no, no way he could disobey a direct order from the King himself. He was bound to serve and that meant doing what he was told, regardless of what was asked of him. With his brain struggling to come up with some way around the eternal death sentence, some way to save Jeonghan, he hadn’t noticed that Jeonghan had somehow freed himself from his death grip, and was slowly standing up to face the shadowy figure on the throne. Before Joshua could do anything, grab him, pull him back down, maybe stop him talking, Jeonghan spoke. 

“Actually,” he voiced out, loud and sure. “I’ve already made a deal. My soul belongs to him, to do with what he wills.” 

Joshua stared incredulously at the human boy, brave enough to speak up against the King of Hell, and he felt his heart swell. Hell, he was so in love with this man, this human, who despite being so mortal and so fragile, would stand up to the King for _ them _. But he was also confused, he’d never asked Jeonghan for his soul, would never ask that of him, so when exactly had this deal happened? 

Jeonghan must have sensed his confusion because he turned to him and winked, a small smile adorning his face, and suddenly vague memories came rushing back to him. Nothing substantial, just whispers spoken in the darkness of night as they clung to each other. _ You already have all of me, Joshua. You have my heart, my body and my soul. And I’d give them to you over and over again. _

Joshua couldn’t help but laugh as the realisation hit him, and he pushed himself up off the floor, shoulders squaring as he turned back toward the dais. He was in love with a genius, a beautiful, scheming mastermind and, hell, was he so thankful. 

“My apologies, my King, but he is right. His soul belongs to me, and I intend to keep him by my side for the rest of eternity.” 

There was a deep rumble as the figure on the throne stood, slow and purposeful, and made its way down the steps toward them, flames licking angrily from its shadows with every step. It turned toward Jeonghan, the embers in its eyes glowing an angry red, as it towered over the smaller human. 

“You’re smart, human, which could make you useful down here but,” he paused, smokey arm curling around Jeonghan’s jaw, “I do _ not _ like being undermined. Consider this your first and final warning. I can undo any deal made by any Demon under my command and I will not hesitate to if you try to pull something like this again.”

Jeonghan’s head lowered at his words, such a perfect picture of insincere remorse and submission that it took all Joshua had to not snort at his actions. _ Ah, Yoon Jeonghan, _ he thought to himself, _ death definitely hasn’t dampened your spirit. _

All of that disappeared as soon as the King rounded on him though, displeasure as clear in his voice as the searing heat that ripped into his chest. “As for you, my Joshua, my _ favourite _ Archdemon.” There was more heat, and Joshua struggled to hold himself upright. “You know how I deal with insubordination. I would hate to have to do that to you, _ again _.” He thought of having his memories tied up and buried, of not knowing Jeonghan again, and gulped, nodding. 

“Good.” The voice crackled. “Now get out of my sight.” He waved a shadowy arm at them and they were back in Joshua’s room, the absence of the hall’s multiple fires making the silence all the more deafening. 

Without pausing, Joshua moved to pull a still-disoriented Jeonghan back into his chest, arms and wings wrapping themselves around him. 

“You _ idiot _ .” He murmured as he nuzzled himself into the human’s shoulder. “I saw you die, Hannie. I saw you _ die. _ You were dead, and I thought I’d lost you forever.”

Jeonghan chuckled lightly as he finally came back to his senses and allowed himself to relax in Joshua’s arms, his own circling around Joshua’s waist. 

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?” 

Joshua sighed, pulling back just enough so he could look into Jeonghan’s eyes. “That’s not the point, Han. The point is that you _ died _. I told you to stay away from the monkey’s paw, that it would make you pay in the most horrible ways.”

Jeonghan stared back, indignant, the fires reflected in his eyes making them glint. “I would pay anything, if it meant I got to be with you again.”

Shaking his head, Joshua could only look fondly back at him, at his stubbornly strong-willed human. “Did it hurt though?” He asked, after a moment, hands threading gently through Jeonghan’s hair. 

“Hmmm.. Not as much as when you left,” was the reply and Joshua winced at the implication. 

“You know I had no choice, I was forced to come back. You know what they think of demons and humans, down here. They even took my memories of you.” His last words were said in a whisper, grip tightening around Jeonghan.

“I know, I know, humans and demons aren’t meant to love each other. Blah blah blah.” Jeonghan replied, rolling his eyes, before throwing him a smirk. “But you love me.”

It wasn’t a question but Joshua smiled and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this piece, this was a mess in my mind that somehow found its way onto a doc and now it's on this site. I honestly still don't know how I feel about this but I love Jihan and I have a thing for demon Josh, so I hope you all at least enjoyed this in some way. I'd love it if you left a kudos or comment too! Let me know what you think ♥︎
> 
> find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/moonfleur_)  
& [cc](https://curiouscat.me/moonfleur_)


End file.
